Ebook171 pages5 hours
Addressing Inequality in South Asia
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
About this ebook
Inequality in South Asia appears to be moderate when looking at standard indicators such as the Gini index, which are based on consumption expenditures per capita. But other pieces of evidence reveal enormous gaps, from extravagant wealth at one end to lack of access to the most basic services at the other. Which prompts the question: How bad is inequality in South Asia? And why would that matter?
This book takes a comprehensive look at the extent, nature, and drivers of inequality in this very dynamic region of the world. It discusses how some dimensions of inequality, such as high returns to investments in human capital, contribute to economic growth while others, such as high payoffs to rent-seeking or broken aspirations, undermine it. Drawing upon a variety of data sources, it disentangles the contribution that opportunity in young age, mobility in adult years, and support throughout life make to inequality at any point in time. Equally important, the book sheds light on the prospects of escaping disadvantage over time.
The analysis shows that South Asia performs poorly in terms of opportunity. Access to basic services is partial at best, and can be traced to characteristics at birth, including gender, location, and caste. Conversely, the region has had a robust performance in terms of geographical and occupational mobility despite its cluttered urbanization and widespread informality. Migration and jobs have served disadvantaged groups better than the rest, highlighting the importance of the urbanization and private sector development agendas. Support falls somewhere in between. Poverty alleviation programs are pervasive. But the mobilization of public resources is limited and much of it is wasted in regressive subsidies, while inter-government transfers do not do enough to mitigate spatial inequalities.
This book takes a comprehensive look at the extent, nature, and drivers of inequality in this very dynamic region of the world. It discusses how some dimensions of inequality, such as high returns to investments in human capital, contribute to economic growth while others, such as high payoffs to rent-seeking or broken aspirations, undermine it. Drawing upon a variety of data sources, it disentangles the contribution that opportunity in young age, mobility in adult years, and support throughout life make to inequality at any point in time. Equally important, the book sheds light on the prospects of escaping disadvantage over time.
The analysis shows that South Asia performs poorly in terms of opportunity. Access to basic services is partial at best, and can be traced to characteristics at birth, including gender, location, and caste. Conversely, the region has had a robust performance in terms of geographical and occupational mobility despite its cluttered urbanization and widespread informality. Migration and jobs have served disadvantaged groups better than the rest, highlighting the importance of the urbanization and private sector development agendas. Support falls somewhere in between. Poverty alleviation programs are pervasive. But the mobilization of public resources is limited and much of it is wasted in regressive subsidies, while inter-government transfers do not do enough to mitigate spatial inequalities.
Related to Addressing Inequality in South Asia
Related ebooks
Poverty in a Rising Africa Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsToward Gender Equality in East Asia and the Pacific: A Companion to the World Development Report Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFuture Drivers of Growth in Rwanda: Innovation, Integration, Agglomeration, and Competition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJobs for Shared Prosperity: Time for Action in the Middle East and North Africa Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinancial Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Road Ahead Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShared Prosperity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe State of Social Safety Nets 2015 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEpidemic Leadership: How to Lead Infectiously in the Era of Big Problems Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGreat Personal Statements for Law School Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5More and Better Jobs in South Asia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Matrix System at Work: An Evaluation of the World Bank's Organizational Effectiveness Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSome Small Countries Do It Better: Rapid Growth and Its Causes in Singapore, Finland, and Ireland Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEast Asia Pacific at Work: Employment, Enterprise, and Well-being Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for Addressing Inequality in South Asia
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Addressing Inequality in South Asia - John Lincoln Newman
Enjoying the preview?
Page 1 of 1